There will be two rounds of awards for those students who will be seniors in the 2008-2009 school year. The first (the deadline for which is Wednesday, March 19, 4:00 pm) will support students from those programs which begin the honors research experience in the spring term of the student's junior year and other students whose projects are sufficiently well-planned that they could begin work over the summer. A second round of awards will be made mid-way through the fall term next year. I will reserve part of the funds for especially worthy projects for which funding needs arise in between the two regular application periods. You should call these cases to my attention as they come to yours.

Funds from the Honors Thesis Research Grant program may be used to support any legitimate cost directly connected to the undertaking of the honors project: laboratory equipment or supplies, computer software or time, costs related to field research, artistic supplies or equipment, books or periodicals not available through normal library sources, illustrations and duplication—among others. Travel will be supported only where such travel is absolutely essential to the project and only for the actual cost of transportation. Except in unusual circumstances, individual awards will not exceed $500. Any equipment or non-expended supplies purchased under the program become the property of the department at the conclusion of the project. We will set up university accounts for all successful applicants in their departments as the means of dispersing funds.

Please note: Projects with an international dimension may qualify for a supplemental award of up to $500 from The Center for Global Initiatives (in addition to the Honors Thesis Research Grant from the Honors Office). Priority for these supplementary grants from The Center for Global Initiatives will be given to proposals which pertain to an international topic and which involve travel either within the United States or abroad. A student must receive an Honors Thesis Research Grant in order to receive the supplemental award from The Center for Global Initiatives. If a student receives both awards, the letter of notification from the Honors Office will contain that information. Because the summer can obviously be a convenient time for students to undertake a research trip, students pursuing an international topic should be encouraged to apply for this round of Honors Thesis Research Grants.

We are also very pleased to announce the Gordon P. Golding Honors Research Award, which is designated for students doing research on slavery or some other aspect of African American history and culture. We would appreciate your assistance in publicizing this new funding opportunity.

Your help is crucial to the successful operation of the program. Would you please:

(1) Make your honors students (or prospective honors students) aware of the existence of the program and distribute the application form and recommendation form to interested students. For this round of awards, only those students actually beginning work on their projects between January 1 and October 1 should apply. All applicants must be eligible to participate in departmental honors AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION. PLEASE DO NOT SEND FORWARD ANY APPLICATION FROM A STUDENT WITH AN OVERALL GPA OF LESS THAN 3.200.

(2) Establish a departmental deadline for the completed applications AND thesis advisor recommendation to be returned to you.

(3) If there are two or more applications from your department, rank order them in terms of overall merit and indicate your ranking in the space provided on the application form (page 1).

(4) RETURN THE COMPLETED APPLICATIONS TO THE HONORS OFFICE, CB# 3510, 225 GRAHAM MEMORIAL, NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2008, 4:00 PM.

Grants will be made by April 18, 2008.

Thanks for your help and give me a call (843-7755) if you have questions or concerns.